diff --git a/system/Validation/Rules.php b/system/Validation/Rules.php
index 40a5955b157d..c8284629d3b3 100644
--- a/system/Validation/Rules.php
+++ b/system/Validation/Rules.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace CodeIgniter\Validation;
 
+use CodeIgniter\Validation\StrictRules\Rules as StrictRules;
 use Config\Database;
 use InvalidArgumentException;
 
@@ -19,6 +20,15 @@
  */
 class Rules
 {
+    private ?StrictRules $strictRules = null;
+
+    private function createStrictRules(): void
+    {
+        if ($this->strictRules === null) {
+            $this->strictRules = new StrictRules();
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * The value does not match another field in $data.
      *
@@ -125,21 +135,9 @@ public function in_list(?string $value, string $list): bool
      */
     public function is_unique(?string $str, string $field, array $data): bool
     {
-        [$field, $ignoreField, $ignoreValue] = array_pad(explode(',', $field), 3, null);
-
-        sscanf($field, '%[^.].%[^.]', $table, $field);
-
-        $row = Database::connect($data['DBGroup'] ?? null)
-            ->table($table)
-            ->select('1')
-            ->where($field, $str)
-            ->limit(1);
-
-        if (! empty($ignoreField) && ! empty($ignoreValue) && ! preg_match('/^\{(\w+)\}$/', $ignoreValue)) {
-            $row = $row->where("{$ignoreField} !=", $ignoreValue);
-        }
+        $this->createStrictRules();
 
-        return $row->get()->getRow() === null;
+        return $this->strictRules->is_unique($str, $field, $data);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/system/Validation/StrictRules/Rules.php b/system/Validation/StrictRules/Rules.php
index 47dbee9b5ae7..1091b319f43f 100644
--- a/system/Validation/StrictRules/Rules.php
+++ b/system/Validation/StrictRules/Rules.php
@@ -151,7 +151,25 @@ public function in_list($value, string $list): bool
      */
     public function is_unique($str, string $field, array $data): bool
     {
-        return $this->nonStrictRules->is_unique($str, $field, $data);
+        [$field, $ignoreField, $ignoreValue] = array_pad(
+            explode(',', $field),
+            3,
+            null
+        );
+
+        sscanf($field, '%[^.].%[^.]', $table, $field);
+
+        $row = Database::connect($data['DBGroup'] ?? null)
+            ->table($table)
+            ->select('1')
+            ->where($field, $str)
+            ->limit(1);
+
+        if (! empty($ignoreField) && ! empty($ignoreValue) && ! preg_match('/^\{(\w+)\}$/', $ignoreValue)) {
+            $row = $row->where("{$ignoreField} !=", $ignoreValue);
+        }
+
+        return $row->get()->getRow() === null;
     }
 
     /**